Little Forks

Located at the confluence of the Rainy River and the Little Forks river, Little Forks was what the 1890s Ontario government map called “Indian Reserve 10.”

Du Vernet reached Little Forks on July 14th in the early evening, by way of the SS Keenora. Mr. and Mrs. Bagshaw greeted him. Du Vernet admired the position of the school house—a government building—and the catechist’s (or teacher’s) house on the river bank. He notes that the government had set apart 6 acres for the mission on the reserve. Mr. Bagshaw cleared some of the land to build the schoolhouse but met repeated resistance from a woman Elder as he sought to stake off land to build a church. 

 Du Vernet also mentions Peter Spence, a Cree man from Fort Alexander (now in Manitoba), who worked as a teacher in the Church Missionary School in Little Forks. Du Vernet found Spence very impressive, but unfortunately his more detailed comments about him have not survived.